Estrella left the house in a huff, anger radiating from her.
She knew talking to Butler Neil like that was wrong, but still, he was the one who had wronged her. Why should she be the one making amends?
By the time she reached the gate entrance, Estrella realized one thing.
She had forgotten to order an Uber.
Finding a taxi around here was nearly impossible.
She ordered an Uber and stood there waiting for it to arrive.
But the sun wouldn't let her have a peaceful moment. It shone so brightly that it felt like it was burning her skin.
"Damn you, Luciano," Estrella muttered, kicking an imaginary object on the ground.
At that moment, she swore to herself not to interact with Luciano unless absolutely necessary.
They would both stay in their own lanes.
She would live independently of him.
After what felt like an eternity, the Uber finally arrived.
She got in and soon arrived at Café Rosso.
As she stepped out of the Uber, she could see through the glass doors that the café was already packed with people—mostly college boys and a few men.
Normally, the café wasn't this crowded, but Estrella could already tell why.
They were waiting for her.
The moment she pushed the door open, they all began calling out.
"Hey, El!"
"Just look at me, El! I changed my hairstyle!" one of the college boys shouted.
More voices joined in, and the café suddenly became noisy.
"Quiet," Estrella shushed them as she walked toward the counter.
The café instantly fell silent.
It was almost as if, if she asked them to die, they would willingly offer their heads.
Estrella dropped her bag and put on her apron.
Soon, a long line formed in front of her. Even those who had already ordered their coffee joined the queue.
Estrella attended to the first customer.
"Your order?"
"A cup of coffee with plenty of sugar and milk," the first person in line said before adding cheesily, "Topped with a kiss from you."
He was a college boy.
Estrella wasn't affected by his words. She had heard thousands of cheesy pickup lines and was already used to them.
"Okay," Estrella muttered.
As she prepared the order, a stronger gust of wind blew through the café, sending strands of hair across her face.
She raised a hand and tucked them behind her ear, revealing her exquisite features.
The college boy at the front dramatically fell backward.
"Oh no! It's the beauty's killer move!"
The people behind him caught him so professionally that it was obvious they had prepared for this exact situation.
Estrella laughed at their dramatic behavior.
These people were one of the reasons she enjoyed her job. They always made work fun. Apart from their cheesy remarks, they never crossed the line.
The crowd joined her laughter, and soon the entire café was filled with cheerful voices.
"What are you doing?"
Estrella heard a shocked voice.
She turned and saw Max standing there, staring at her as though she had committed a terrible crime.
"What?" she mouthed, raising an eyebrow.
Max quickly rushed over.
"Come out from there. You shouldn't be doing this."
His actions only confused Estrella further.
He gently pushed her aside and turned to the crowd.
"I'll be taking your orders."
The crowd immediately protested.
They hadn't waited all day for coffee.
They had been waiting for Estrella.
Now Max wasn't allowing her to serve them.
"No! We want the beauty!"
Max shook his head apologetically.
"I'm sorry. She can't."
"What do you mean she can't?" someone shot back.
"If she can't, then we're leaving!" another customer threatened.
True to their words, many people began turning toward the exit.
Yet Max stood his ground.
Estrella grabbed his arm urgently.
"Max, what are you doing? Just let me serve them."
"I can't," Max said, shaking his head.
"Why?"
"You're Mrs. Banks. How can I let you work as a waitress?"
Estrella hissed.
"Because of that?"
"Yes," Max nodded.
Estrella shrugged.
"I'm still myself, and I get to do what I want regardless of who I am."
"You might not mind," Max said seriously, "but we can't say the same about Luciano. I can't have him shutting down my café. This business is how I feed my family."
Estrella understood what he meant.
Everyone in Milan knew how ruthless Luciano could be.
She stopped arguing, took off her apron, and picked up her backpack.
Then she began walking out.
Max didn't miss the flash of sadness in her eyes.
"Estrella."
She stopped and looked back.
Max lowered his head slightly.
"I'm sorry."
Estrella shook her head.
"No need to apologize. It's not your fault."
She pushed open the door and walked out.
It really wasn't his fault.
It was that devil's fault.
Luciano.
Even in his absence, he could still ruin her day.
How badly she wanted to strangle him.
Meanwhile, at Banks Corporation—
Luciano sneezed heavily before resuming his work.
Berry couldn't help but wonder who was cursing the boss behind his back.
Then again, there was no need to wonder.
The boss had offended far too many people.
Luciano looked up.
"What about Golden Entertainment Hub?"
His expression was gloomy.
Berry could tell Luciano wasn't in a good mood.
But when had he ever been in a good mood?
Still, something felt different today.
"The news about him having a mistress has already spread everywhere," Berry reported immediately.
"Keep an eye on him," Luciano said.
His voice was far too calm for someone who was systematically ruining another man's life's work.